Smoky Mountains received record number of visitors in 2017

2/8/2018

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park received a record number of visitors in 2017.

The park received 11,338,894 visitors which is a slight increase from 2016.

Most visitors came to the park in July, October and June.

"We strive each year to provide exceptional services to the visitors who come to enjoy the Smokies," said Superintendent Cassius Cash. "With increasing visitation across seasons, this does not come without challenges. I am proud of the employees who work hard each day to meet these challenges, along with the support of our volunteers and partners who collectively help us care for this incredibly special place."

Over 2,800 park volunteers gave more than 115,000 hours of service to help with trail maintenance, invasive plant removal and providing visitor information.

There was a slight decrease in visitors camping in the park.

The largest event in the park's history was hosted in 2017, the Great American Solar Eclipse. More than 15,600 people attended eclipse events at Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Sugarlands Visitor Center.

Source: WATE

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